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CHRISTOPHER DOLAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Mr. Bevilacqua, left, will compete on What the Fork’s all-guy “Mooch” team at the fundraiser. Ms. Lewandoski, right, will serve as the night’s emcee and will judge the full-course meal prepared by the two teams.

Food preparation remains the primary form of entertainment at the Women’s Resource Center’s annual Great Chefs fundraiser.

This year, though, comes with a unique wrinkle, in that all the edibles will be cooked not in the main hall, but out in the parking lot.

That could only mean one thing — a food truck takeover.

The theme of this year’s Great Chefs, set for Thursday, May 1, at Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel, is “Food Truck Frenzy — Curbside Cuisine,” and will feature the crew members from the popular What the Fork food truck competing against each other along gender lines.

The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, then dinner at 6:30. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling the WRC at 570-346-4460, ext. 239. Reservation deadline is Monday.

All proceeds from the event benefit the WRC, which provides a number of services to victims of physical and sexual abuse and their children.

Community support

Now in its 24th year, Great Chefs has raised more than $1 million for the WRC. Last year was the first time the event’s single-night take exceeded $100,000.

“People are very generous,” said Claudia Naismith, co-chairwoman of the event.

“And it all goes directly to the center,” added fellow co-chair Pat Preate. (Carole Cader is the other co-chair.)

The event’s planners always try to come up with interesting concepts for the fundraiser, and decided food trucks would be a good theme after What the Fork’s second-place finish last summer in a food truck competition on the TV chat show “Live with Kelly and Michael.”

“We like to get things that are current,” Ms. Preate said. “We thought it would be good to do something with food trucks.”

For the event, What the Fork’s crew will be split into two teams, one all male, the other all female.

The guys will work out of the original What the Fork truck, nicknamed “Mooch,” while the women will set up shop in the new truck, “The Beast.” A live feed hooked up to each truck will allow attendees inside the Radisson to watch the proceedings.

First, the teams will concoct a selection of appetizers that the guests will have the chance to sample and then vote for their favorite. The winning truck will receive the “People’s Choice Award.”

Men vs. women

From there, each truck will produce a full-course meal that will be judged by event emcee Jackie Lewandoski, host of WNEP-TV’s “Home and Backyard.”

Dessert will be provided by Cathy Reppert of Truly Scrumptious cake studio in Kingston. Ms. Reppert also will prepare a food truck cake that will be auctioned off. In addition, there will be a number of big-ticket basket raffles.

What the Fork chef/owner Mario Bevilacqua said he’s thrilled to be taking part in the fundraiser.

Details: Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling the WRC at 570-346-4460, ext. 239. Reservation deadline is Monday. All proceeds benefit the Women’s Resource Center.

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